


too late to make it right (probably wouldn't if I could)

by UniverseInk



Series: Jason kills the Joker [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Batfamily (DCU), Bruce Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Don't copy to another site, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Not the focus but very much there, The character death tag is not for Tim don't worry, Tim Drake is Robin, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24571849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniverseInk/pseuds/UniverseInk
Summary: Jason’s in his apartment when he gets the call.“The Joker has Robin.”For a split second, all the air in Jason’s apartment disappears.The Joker, angry that Jason didn't stay dead, kidnaps Tim for a second chance at killing a Robin
Series: Jason kills the Joker [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810033
Comments: 14
Kudos: 251
Collections: the batman family





	too late to make it right (probably wouldn't if I could)

**Author's Note:**

> TWs: Injury, blood, death via gunshot
> 
> There might be timeline/continuity errors, but I don't really care. This is pre- Cass and Damian, since I couldn't fit them in
> 
> Title from Not Ready to Make Nice by the Dixie Chicks

Jason’s in his apartment when he gets the call. He knows it’s Dick, because it comes through on the only phone his number isn’t blocked on. (If he blocks it on every phone Dick just gets Oracle to hack his comms, and that gets old fast). 

“What?” he snaps.

“The Joker has Robin.”

For a split second, all the air in Jason’s apartment disappears. On the other end of the line, Dick keeps talking.

“I know this is probably the last thing you want to get involved in, but we only have so much time.” His voice is frantic. “I can’t lose him too.”

Dick doesn’t expand on that, but he doesn’t have to.

“I’ll be at the cave ASAP,” Jason says. He hangs up before Dick can do something stupid, like try to thank him. 

He suits up and hops on his bike. It’s not like the Replacement is Jason’s favorite person, or even his favorite member of this fucked up family. He’s not doing this out of loyalty or some bullshit like that, he just doesn’t want the Joker thinking he can get away with hurting Robin.

Again.

The cave’s secret entrance opens for him automatically. He parks his bike and saunters over to where Batman and Nightwing are hunched over the batcomputer. 

“Glad to see you didn’t change the locks,” Jason quips. Dick glances his way, giving him a distracted half-smile.

“Thanks for coming.”

Jason nods. “What do you know?”

“He was grabbed from his room with the Titans,” Batman says. He hasn’t looked up since Jason entered the room. “They’re working on figuring out the how, we’re tracking him down.”

“And how do you know it’s the Joker?” Jason asks.

“He left this.” Dick reaches over and clicks something, bringing up a picture of a note pinned to a wall with one of the Joker’s playing cards.

 _Since it didn’t seem to stick the first time, let’s try this again,_ the note reads. _See if you can save this one in time_.

Jason sees red. He closes his eyes, taking a moment to get a grip. 

“Obviously he’s taunting me,” Batman says. 

“Oh, you’re not the only one he’s taunting,” Jason mutters darkly. “Any leads on where he took the kid?”

“We’ve narrowed it down to two areas,” Dick says. “There’s a warehouse on the docks that’s had a handful of reports of men in clown masks coming and going over the past week.” He points to the on-screen map, a red dot indicating the location. “However, before the tracker on Robin’s suit went out, it was headed in the opposite direction. It could be a diversion, or it could be him. It lost signal in an industrial district, easy to find a place to keep a hostage.”

“Or set a bomb,” Jason adds, watching Dick’s mouth twist into a grimace. Batman doesn’t react. “I’ll take the warehouse. You two take the industrial district, you’ll cover more ground.”

“You’re not calling the shots on this one.” Batman finally turns to look at Jason. “You’re not going after the Joker alone.”

“Oh fuck off,” Jason snaps. “You and Nightwing are more suited to checking out the industrial district. If he does have the Replacement at the warehouse, I’ll radio in, but we don’t have time to all check it out together.” 

“Red Hood’s right,” Dick intejects. “If the Joker didn’t take him back to the warehouse, we need as much of a head start as we can get. That area isn’t exactly small.”

There’s a tense pause.

“Fine,” Batman snaps. “But you call the second you have confirmation.”

“Yessir.” Jason gives a mock salute. He strides back to his bike, taking off while the others take the batmobile. 

The lights are on in the warehouse, but as far as Jason can see it’s unguarded. He enters through a window just below the roof, crouching in the shadows on a catwalk. He creeps along until he has a clear view past the crates hiding him.

Most of the floor has been cleared, and several spotlights are pointed down from the rafters. In the center of this crude stage, directly across from the main doors, is a metal support pillar. Tim, bruised but conscious, is chained to it. 

Standing in front of him, crowbar dangling from his hand, is the Joker. Every fiber of Jason’s being is aching to attack, but he holds position long enough to activate his comms. 

“I have eyes on Robin,” he whispers. “He’s alive, but he’s not alone.”

“Roger,” Batman answers. “We’re headed to you, wait for us.”

“Like hell,” Jason sneers. He ignores the protests from the other end and clicks off his comms. He draws his guns, striding down the catwalk until he’s out of the shadows.

A bullet hits the concrete at the Joker’s feet, drawing two sets of eyes to him.

“The next one goes through your kneecap,” Jason warns. “Drop the crowbar.”

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Robin the Second,” the Joker says. He lifts the crowbar, dangling it from his fingers for a moment before letting it clatter to the ground. “I was really hoping dear Batsy would show up.”

Jason hops the railing, landing on his feet and stalking over to stand between Tim and the Joker. He holsters his guns and snags the crowbar on the toe of his boot and kicks it up into his hand. 

“You good, Replacement?” He asks, taking a moment to scan for injuries out of the corner of his eye. The kid’s banged up, but not too badly. 

“I’ve been better,” Tim says. “But I’ve also been worse, so there’s that.”

Jason huffs a laugh and turns his full attention back to the Joker. 

“So what’s the plan?” he asks. “Wait til the Bat shows up and blow the kid to hell?”

“No, I was hoping for something a bit more… impactful, this time.” The Joker grins. “I wonder how much I have to raise the bar to _really_ piss Batsy off. A beating and a bomb clearly won’t do the trick.”

Jason knows he’s being goaded, but he swings the crowbar anyway. It connects with the Joker’s head, a satisfying _crack_ echoing through the warehouse. Tim hisses a curse as the Joker drops to the ground, laughing. 

Blood is matting his hair, and he’s definitely got a concussion, but he’s still grinning. Jason plants a boot on his chest and leans into it. Rage courses through his veins, but his hands are steady.

“You think this is funny?” he snarls. He brings the crowbar down again, slamming it against the Joker’s arm. “How long are you going to keep laughing, huh? How many bones do I have to break?”

“Hood—”

Jason ignores Tim, raining blows onto the cackling man beneath him. Eventually, the laughter gives way to pained gasps. 

The grin remains.

Jason tosses the crowbar to the side. Keeping the Joker pinned to the ground, he draws a handgun and points it at his head. A deadly stillness falls over the warehouse. 

“I thought Bats didn’t kill,” the Joker says, still breathing raggedly. 

“Guess it’s a good thing I’m a Robin, then.” Jason stares down at the Joker with a cold fury clawing at his chest and removes his helmet, leaving only the red domino mask. “We look after our own.”

“Hood, you can’t,” Tim pipes up.

“He’s right you know,” the Joker agrees. “Hear those footsteps? Sounds like Batsy has arrived.”

Jason listens, and sure enough, two sets of footsteps are rapidly approaching the warehouse. They’ll be through the door soon.

“Batman won’t let you kill me,” the Joker taunts.

“That’s true.”

The door slams open, but the resulting bang is drowned out by the gunshot. Blood splatters the concrete, and the Joker’s last grin freezes on his face. 

“Too bad he’s late.” 

A vicious pride swells in Jason’s chest when Batman flinches. Jason holsters his gun and strides out of the warehouse, slamming his former mentor out of the way with his shoulder as he goes. Batman says nothing.

Jason’s head is full of fog, his limbs buzzing with static. He killed the Joker. He _killed the fucking Joker_. Bruce _has_ to be pissed.

“Jay—” Dick calls, following him out onto the docks. 

“Don’t you have a Robin to rescue?” Jason snaps. 

“B’s got him,” Dick says, catching Jason by the arm. “And besides, you pretty much took care of it.”

Jason snorts. “Drop the euphemisms, Dickhead. I killed him.”

“You did.” Dick’s tone is even. 

“And that doesn’t bother you?”

“I’m not exactly mourning the man who killed one of my brothers and planned to do the same to the other.” Dick pulls Jason around to face him. “I need to know that you’re okay.”

“Of course I’m not okay,” Jason admits, slumping under a wave of exhaustion. “This whole thing dug up a shit ton of trauma, and on top of that B’s gonna bite my head off for killing someone.”

“Okay, fair.” Dick chews his lip for a moment. “Come stay at my apartment for a bit.”

“The hell did that come from?” Jason grumbles.

“Hey, you’re not the only one reliving shitty memories,” Dick says. “Let me keep an eye on you, for my sake.”

Jason isn’t an idiot, he knows Dick is phrasing it like so he can accept the help without bruising his pride. He also knows that right now he’s fucked up enough to go with it.

“Okay.”

Jason spends the next week in the guest room of Dick’s apartment. They don’t talk much, just inhabit the same space for a while. He’ll never admit it, but being around Dick like this is comforting. 

On the sixth day, Tim shows up. He’s got a couple still-fading bruises, but no lasting damage. He tosses a newspaper on the table in front of Jason and shuffles over the coffee machine.

“They’re calling you a hero,” he says.

Jason picks up the paper. The headline reads _Joker Slain by Unknown Hero, Gotham Celebrates_ , and the article contains several quotes from citizens. Some of them refuse to condone the killing, but none of them deny that they’ll be sleeping better from now on. 

“Shame I’m not getting the credit,” Jason quips halfheartedly. 

“Well, if B had reported you to the cops he’d just be putting a target on your back.” Tim sips his coffee. 

“He pissed at me?” Jason shoots for nonchalant, but his tone lands somewhere around wary.

Tim shrugs. Jason rolls his eyes.

“Thanks, by the way,” Tim says, eyes locked onto his mug.

“Huh?”

“For saving me.” He takes another drink.

Jason grins crookedly. “You’re welcome,” he sing-songs.

“Don’t make it weird,” Tim mutters. Jason stands, ruffling the kid’s hair as he passes.

“This whole fucking family is weird.”

“Aw, you admitted we’re family!” Dick says, appearing out of nowhere.

Jason jumps about a foot in the air. “Jesus fuck, don’t sneak up on me.”

“You should have heard him at the warehouse,” Tim teases. “ _I’m a Robin, we look after our own_. It was so touching.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Jason isn’t blushing. He’s not.

“That’s so cute!” Dick slings an arm over Jason’s shoulders. “I love you too, little wing.”

“I’ll kill you both.”

Tim snorts. “No you won’t.”

Jason narrows his eyes, but doesn’t disagree. He lets Dick drag him into a group hug with Tim with only minimal complaining. He knows this happy family thing isn’t going to last forever, they’re all way too dysfunctional for that. 

For now, though, he’ll let it happen. 

**Author's Note:**

> Batman is hard to write, fucker is allergic to showing emotion
> 
> Tbh I don't know all that much about canon, I've read very little of the comics. I'm just here to have a good time, so don't bother to "correct" me on stuff
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @mercuryparallax (art and writing blog) or @transrobins (Batfam/DC blog) if you wanna talk. You're also welcome to infodump to me about the Batfam if you'd like, I do wanna learn more


End file.
